There are conventional game systems in which the controller is vibrated when a predetermined game condition is satisfied during the game.
However, game statuses may not be sufficiently expressed by simply vibrating the controller as in the conventional systems.
Therefore, the present application discloses a game system, a storage medium storing a game program, an information processing device and an information processing method, with which game statuses can be more specifically expressed by way of vibrations.
(1)
An example of a game system described herein includes a controller device and an information processing device.
The controller device includes an inertia sensor, an operation data transmission section and a vibrating portion. The operation data transmission section is configured to transmit, to the information processing device, operation data including data from the inertia sensor. The vibrating portion is configured to vibrate based on a vibration signal obtained from the information processing device.
The information processing device includes an operation data obtaining section, a determining section, a vibration signal generation section and a vibration signal transmission section. The operation data obtaining section obtains the operation data. The determining section determines a speed of an operation of rotating the controller device based on the operation data. The vibration signal generation section generates a vibration signal to vibrate the vibrating portion with an intensity that is determined in accordance with the speed of the rotating operation. The vibration signal transmission section transmits the vibration signal to the controller device.
With configuration (1) above, as compared with a case in which the controller device is simply vibrated in accordance with the game condition, the state of the operation of rotating the controller device and/or the game status in accordance with the rotating operation can be more specifically expressed. Thus, it is possible to allow the player to more specifically recognize the game status based on the vibration of the controller device.
(2)
The vibration signal generation section may be configured to generate the vibration signal in such a manner that the vibrating portion is vibrated with a higher intensity when the speed of the rotating operation is relatively high as compared with a case in which the speed of the rotating operation is relatively low.
With configuration (2) above, it is possible to allow the player to intuitively recognize the speed of the operation of rotating the controller device by the vibration of the controller device.
(3)
The vibration signal generation section may be configured to generate the vibration signal in such a manner that a frequency of vibration of the vibrating portion changes in accordance with the speed of the rotating operation.
With configuration (3) above, the state of the operation of rotating the controller device and the game status in accordance with the rotating operation can be more specifically expressed by the frequency of vibration.
(4)
The vibration signal generation section may be configured to generate a signal representing a waveform of vibration as the vibration signal. The vibrating portion may vibrate based on the waveform represented by the vibration signal. The vibration signal generation section may be configured to generate the vibration signal so that the waveform represented by the vibration signal changes in accordance with the speed of the rotating operation.
With configuration (4) above, the state of the operation of rotating the controller device and/or the game status in accordance with the rotating operation can be more specifically expressed by the waveform of vibration.
(5)
The determining section may be configured to detect an operation of rotating the controller device. The vibration signal generation section may be configured to generate the vibration signal in such a manner that the intensity of vibration of the vibrating portion changes in response to the detection of the rotating operation.
With configuration (5) above, it is possible to allow the player to recognize the detection of the rotating operation by changing the intensity of vibration of the vibrating portion.
(6)
The determining section may be configured to detect an operation of rotating the controller device. The vibration signal generation section may be configured to generate the vibration signal in such a manner that the vibrating portion produces a predetermined vibration in response to the detection of the rotating operation.
With configuration (6) above, it is possible to allow the player to recognize the detection of the rotating operation by the vibration of the vibrating portion.
(7)
The determining section may be configured to calculate, based on an output of the inertia sensor, an orientation of the controller device about at least a predetermined axis. The vibration signal generation section may be configured to generate the vibration signal in such a manner that the vibrating portion produces a first vibration of an intensity that is determined in accordance with the speed of the rotating operation, and produces a second vibration every time the orientation of the controller device changes by a predetermined amount.
With configuration (7) above, it is possible to allow the player to recognize the speed of the rotating operation by both the intensity of the first vibration and the frequency with which the second vibration is produced.
(8)
The determining section may be configured to identify a periodic change in an output of the inertia sensor and to detect the rotating operation based on the identified periodic change.
With configuration (8) above, it is possible to easily detect the rotation operation based on the output of the inertia sensor. For example, it is possible to detect the rotation operation based on the output of the inertia sensor with respect to one axis.
(9)
The determining section may be configured to detect the rotating operation by determining a rotation angle of the controller device for the rotating operation based on angular velocities of the controller device with respect to two predetermined axes based on an output of the inertia sensor.
With configuration (9) above, it is possible to easily detect the rotation operation by using an angular velocity based on the output of the inertia sensor.
(10)
The determining section may be configured to calculate, based on an output of the inertia sensor, an orientation of the controller device about at least a predetermined axis and to detect the rotating operation based on the calculated orientation.
With configuration (10) above, it is possible to easily detect the rotation operation by calculating the orientation of the controller device based on the output of the inertia sensor.
(11)
Another example of a game system described herein includes a controller device and an information processing device.
The controller device includes an inertia sensor, an operation data transmission section and a vibrating portion. The operation data transmission section is configured to transmit, to the information processing device, operation data including data from the inertia sensor. The vibrating portion is configured to vibrate based on a vibration signal obtained from the information processing device.
The information processing device includes an operation data obtaining section, a determining section, a vibration signal generation section and a vibration signal transmission section. The operation data obtaining section obtains the operation data. The determining section determines a speed of an operation of moving the controller device based on the operation data. The vibration signal generation section generates a vibration signal to vibrate the vibrating portion with an intensity that is determined in accordance with the speed of the moving operation. The vibration signal transmission section transmits the vibration signal to the controller device.
With configuration (11) above, as with configuration (1) above, it is possible to allow the player to more specifically recognize the game status based on the vibration of the controller device.
Note that the present specification discloses an example of a game processing method to be executed on a game system as set forth in (1) to (11) above. The present specification also discloses an example of an information processing device as set forth in (1) to (11) above. The present specification also discloses an example of a storage medium storing an information processing program or a game program configured to instruct a computer of the information processing device to function as some of various units equivalent to various sections as set forth in (1) to (11) above.
With the game system, the storage medium storing a game program, the information processing device and the information processing method as set forth above, the game status, which changes in response to operations, can be specifically expressed.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.